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Missouri Department of Transportation & Missouri State Highway Patrol Employees’ Retirement System

Cost-of-Living Adjustment

MPERS provides an annual COLA to eligible retired members, surviving spouses, former spouses, beneficiaries, surviving children under the age of 21, and work-related disability recipients. Regardless of which plan you are in, the annual COLA rate is based on 80% of the average percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers for the United States (CPI-U), with an annual maximum of five percent. There are nuances regarding the application of COLAs for members of the various plans we administer, therefore we encourage you to read this page in its entirety.

Closed Plan Benefit Recipients
Closed Plan benefit recipients receive their COLA increases in October each year (if benefits were received the preceding month). The COLA rate for Closed Plan benefit recipients depends on your date of employment with the state or your work-related date of disability.

  • Members employed before August 28, 1997 or members whose work-related date of disability was prior to July 1, 2004
    The annual COLA rate will not be less than four percent or more than five percent, until the total increase equals 65% of your initial benefit (65% COLA cap). After you reach 65% in accumulated COLAs, your annual COLA rate will be equal to 80% of the increase in the CPI-U, with an annual maximum of five percent.
  • Members employed after August 28, 1997 or members whose work-related date of disability was on or after July 1, 2004
    The annual COLA rate will be equal to 80% of the increase in the CPI-U, with an annual maximum of five percent.

Year 2000 Plan Benefit Recipients
Year 2000 Plan benefit recipients receive COLA increases on the anniversary date of their retirement or BackDROP date, whichever applies. The annual COLA rate will be equal to 80% of the increase in the CPI-U, with an annual maximum of five percent.

2011 Tier Benefit Recipients

  • Members of the 2011 Tier who retire directly from active service receive COLA increases on the anniversary date of their retirement. The same is true for the survivor COLAs.
  •  Members of the 2011 Tier who retire from a vested member status will receive their first COLA increase on the second-anniversary date of their retirement. The same is true for survivor COLAs.
  • The annual COLA rate will be equal to 80% of the increase in the CPI-U, with an annual maximum of five percent.

How Was the 2023 COLA Calculated?

COLAs are calculated by using data from the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

The 2021 annual average of 270.970 is subtracted from the 2022 annual average of 292.655. The difference between the 2021 and 2022 annual averages is 21.865; it is then divided by the average from 2021 (270.970).

The result of that calculation is 8.003%, which is the percentage of increase from 2021 and 2022. Missouri state statute states the COLA amount will be 80% of the percentage increase in the CPI-U. The final calculation is taking the percentage increase of 8.003% and multiply it by 80% which results in 6.402%.

The MPERS’ COLA amount is capped at a maximum of five percent, therefore during 2023, all eligible retirees and payees will receive a five percent COLA.

Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)

Month 2021 2022
January 261.582 281.148
February 263.014 283.716
March 264.877 287.504
April 267.054 289.109
May 269.195 292.296
June 271.696 296.311
July 273.003 296.276
August 273.567 296.171
September 274.310 296.808
October 276.589 298.012
November 277.948 297.711
December 278.802 296.797
Annual Average 270.970 292.655

Gross increase: (292.655 – 270.970) / 270.970 = 8.003% x 80% = 6.402%

History of COLA Rates

COLA Year Closed Plan
Pre-COLA cap & hired before 8/28/1997
-Work-related disability before 7/2004
Year 2000 Plan and 2011 Tier
-After COLA cap & hired before 8/28/1997
-Work-related disability before 7/2004
2023 5% 5%
2022 4% 3.758%
2021 4% 0.987%
2020 4% 1.450%
2019 4% 1.954%
2018 4% 1.704%
2017 4% 1.010%
2016 4% 0.095%
2015 4% 1.298%
2014 4% 1.172%
2013 4% 1.655%
2012 4% 2.526%
2011 4% 1.312%
2010 4% 0.000%
2009 4% 3.072%
2008 4% 2.278%
2007 4% 2.581%
2006 4% 2.710%
2005 4% 2.130%
2004 4% 1.823%
2003 4% 1.265%